Contributor: Joanna D'Orazio Mignella. Lesson ID: 14165
Get ready to learn a clever number trick that will help you quickly double-check your division answers!
Some monkeys can swing from branches, gripping tightly with their tails!
Just like monkeys can turn things upside down, you can do something cool with numbers, too!
Get ready to learn a special upside-down trick to help you divide numbers easily and check your work like a pro!
Division can be tricky, but there is a special trick to help you check your work!
Great!
This trick will let you double-check your answers when you solve division problems.
Dive in!
Imagine you have 6 cookies. You want to share them equally with yourself and 2 friends.
That’s right—2 cookies each! Yum!
So, 6 ÷ 3 = 2.
That means that 6 ÷ 3 = 2.
Here’s how the upside-down multiplication trick works: flip the problem around! Multiply the answer you found (2) by the number you divided by (3).
Yes, it does! That means your answer is correct.
6 ÷ 3 = 2
Try another one.
Imagine you have 36 apples. You want to split them into piles of 4.
First, you divide.
36 ÷ 4 = 9
Then, check your work using the upside-down multiplication trick.
Yes, it does! Great work!
Now, see if you can check this one on your own.
Fantastic!
The upside-down multiplication trick is a powerful way to check your work.
Check out the video below.
This math trick is amazing!
When ready, head to the Got It? section for more fun practice!